by Ruth Silver
"The council only requested your presence," she assured me. "Don't worry – you're not in any trouble."
"Not in any trouble?” I repeated carefully. I had broken out of prison with Rebecca’s help. I hadn’t even considered they would punish me for the escape. Of course, the reason I’d been arrested hadn’t been entirely fair, either, but I wasn’t familiar with this new town or its rules. I walked with the redhead down the stairs. “Are you on the council?" I asked.
She giggled. "No, but my mother is." She glanced at me. "I'm Jacqueline," she introduced herself. I stared into her pale blue eyes, reaching for her hand.
"Nice to meet you. Olivia," I introduced myself, though I was fairly confident she knew that already, considering she'd knocked on my door just moments earlier and called me by name.
She smiled all the same. "Mom suggested that after the council meeting I show you around. Take you to the dining hall and make sure you're comfortable with your room. If you need anything, just let me know, okay?"
I nodded faintly. "Thanks, Jacqueline." I was surprised by her hospitality. I followed her down the stairs as we stepped outside. Buildings lined the street around me. I craned my neck up to see the tallest point, grimacing from the position. I was in a real city! A smile lit up my face. I could only dreamt such things, as they'd existed in novels I'd read. We'd learned long ago all the cities had been destroyed and left in ruins. Outlaws scavenged what remained though nothing was inhabitable. Clearly they were wrong.
"Don't worry, I won't leave you on your own just yet," Jacqueline told me reassuringly as she patted my back. She must have seen the look on my face as I tried memorizing every detail while she led me down the street. I found it overwhelming.
I couldn't help but laugh nervously. Was it that obvious? "Thanks." I smiled, following her down the block and to the right to another street with rows of houses attached. Two buildings over, we walked up and inside a large white structure made of stone. Situated outside were columns that reminded me of older architecture. Clearly, this building was from a lifetime ago, but had been restored.
Once inside, the marble floor echoed with each step Jacqueline and I took. The ceiling looked impossible to reach. Yet, a mural had been painted on it. I opened my mouth to ask how of its creation when I heard the slight creak of the wooden doors in front of us. Rebecca gestured me in, "I see you met my daughter, Jacqueline." My eyes widened, though I tried to hide my surprise. "Yes, Olivia. She was our second born, and the government required us to give her up."
"How is she here?" I didn't hesitate to ask, feeling utterly confused.
Rebecca led me to an empty seat around the table beside her. "Please, sit," she stated. "I know you have a lot of questions and the council has plenty of answers." She told me nine members made up the council, including four men and five women, one of whom was Rebecca.
"Is that why I'm here?" I doubted they brought me in to feed me answers.
Rebecca smiled. "Always a wise young girl. No, we're here to make sure you understand the rules and agree to follow them. If you choose not to, the choice is yours and you may leave. Of course, should you choose to leave, you will be escorted out of Haven and will have to find your way to the next town. You will be allowed to take only that which you brought with you."
I didn't ask where the next town was. I hadn't seen anything between the tunnel and town. I had no intention of leaving – I just got here. "The rules?" I asked, glancing from Rebecca to the other council members.
A male sitting across from me spoke up. An older gentleman, with gold-kissed skin and dark brown eyes, he spoke with a slight accent I’d never heard before. "Your marriage to Joshua Warren is not recognized here. We don't believe the government should choose who you spend the rest of your life with, or anyone else for that matter." This wasn't news to me. Rebecca had told me as much earlier before I showered and changed.
Rebecca spoke up, "Landon wants you to understand your place in Haven. You and Joshua will spend some time apart from now on. We believe it's important for you to fit in, make friends and adjust to society. That's not to say you can't visit one another, but sleepovers are absolutely forbidden." She stared at me pointedly.
"I understand." I nodded, unsure I really had. But I did get the general idea – make friends with other people and I'll stay out of trouble. I glanced at Landon, the gentleman who had spoken to me just moments ago. "Why isn't Joshua part of this meeting?"
Rebecca smiled. "He's resting. When he's had enough sleep, we’ll present the same rules to him as well. We thought it best to separate you both, so you could make a decision on your own."
"Olivia," Landon began. "There is much for you to learn about our town and your own history. Jacqueline will provide you with several texts we expect you to read before the next time we convene."
I nodded faintly. "When will that be?"
Rebecca spoke up, "Two weeks from today. We feel that gives you adequate time to get caught up on your history lessons." It felt too much like school, but I didn't object.
"Can I ask questions now, or do I have to wait two weeks?" I shifted in my seat uncomfortably. I hated having everyone’s eyes on me.
A wiry gray-haired woman tilted her head slightly, curious as to my question, "Go ahead and ask us dear."
"Jacqueline is your daughter, Rebecca. Taken by the government and raised by another family, right? How did she end up here?" I was confused, to say the least.
Rebecca had a distant look on her face. "My daughter, Jacqueline, was taken by the government. In Genesis, the government expects you to give up any children you may conceive after the first." She laughed as she said the word 'conceive'. "Jacqueline was a beauty. I didn't want to give her up, but knew I had no choice in the matter. So, I arranged for her to be given to a family deserving of her, people who would teach her where she came from and who she really was. When Jacqueline was merely three, there was an uprising." She paused for a moment, "The government, in an attempt to control those who lived in that town, raided the village and slaughtered hundreds."
Landon spoke up, "They were making a point. I was the last of the rebel alliance left, and I found Jacqueline still alive, though injured, in a fire at her home." He paused, eyeing Rebecca before continuing, "I rescued her and carried her for days before finding a place to hide. We stayed a few months at an old gas station after I patched her up, and then with enough food and water we hitched a ride here."
I wondered how far the journey was, but didn't ask. I nodded, mouth agape.
Rebecca glanced at me. "Any more questions?"
"Yes," I nodded adamantly. "You are the council for the rebel alliance?"
A young woman with short blonde hair spoke up. "We've never been asked that before. I'm Alexia," she introduced herself. Was she serious? Did the people not question those in power? I was still awaiting an answer when Rebecca offered an explanation. "We are merely the council for the town of Haven. Other cities have their own council. Those towns are at least five hundred miles from here," she answered. "Yes, many of us are members of the rebel alliance. It goes without saying that if you are here, the government classifies you as a rebel," she informed me. "Many seek refuge at our city. We try to stay off the radar from the government, but at times their drones search the skies for towns with people."
"You mean they have airplanes?" I'd read about such things in a history book during the fourth world war, but had never seen one.
"Yes," Rebecca nodded. "They're drones, non-manned planes. It makes it safer and easier for the government to control a computer instead of a person," she informed me. "In answer to your question, we are a small part of the rebel alliance. If you remember the tunnels and the other passageways, there are two other cities not far from us. Our system includes three cities working to infiltrate and communicate within the government towns of Genesis."
"Communicate within the government towns? You mean when it's time for The Day of the Chosen, this is how you smuggle out children?" I
guessed.
Rebecca's smile was slight. "Sort of. It's a lot more complicated than it sounds." She assured me, "I promise you the other towns nearby are all allies."
I wondered briefly what that meant. Did towns exist that weren't full of allies? I had thought for years only the government cities and outlaws existed. Just yesterday I had learned of the rebel alliance. Now, I felt more confused than ever.
"I know it's a lot of information. That’s why we're trying to ease you into our community. To better understand how we live and function," Rebecca explained.
"So, you still communicate with Genesis? I mean you're here, but normally, you're not?" I ran a hand across my forehead, trying to make sense of the information. I didn't understand how she could be in two cities at once. Clearly she wasn't at Genesis for the time being, but it concerned me how she could disappear without anyone noticing. "How is my mother?" I was afraid to ask, terrified of the answer, but I couldn't live not knowing the truth.
"It's difficult communicating with the groups inside the city walls, but I will relay to your mother that you're well."
"She’s still alive?” I felt my heart leap that she hadn’t been put to death by the Governor. That was a thought I hadn’t wanted to face, but knew she could be tried and convicted of treason.
Rebecca nodded faintly. “As of this moment your mother is a free woman. Governor Craynor can’t do anything with her. She can't bear any more children naturally and is too old for their tests to give them any answers.”
I felt my heart lurch. “Is that what they wanted, to experiment on me?" The air sucked from my lungs as the room sweltered and spun chaotically.
“We’re not entirely sure what they wanted with you, Olivia,” Rebecca clarified. “It’s possible they wanted to silence you, but, of course, the entire town saw your arrest. And let’s face it, the government isn’t one to admit they’ve been wrong all along.”
“Wrong?” I repeated, trying my best to focus as sweat dripped down my forehead.
“They’ve convinced the population the only way to have children is through a lottery. Your mother would have shown Genesis another way. It would have meant an uprising," Rebecca explained. "Governor Craynor was rash in his decision to arrest both you and your mother. I believe his advisors knew that after the fact, and it’s why they released your mother from custody. Under one condition…" she paused, staring at me wanting me to absorb the information.
“Which is?” I hung onto her every word.
“You never return to Genesis. If you do, she will have to turn you over to the government.”
I hadn't expected that from Rebecca. Maybe I should have. I knew I couldn't return home again. I'd escaped prison, and my homecoming would put others in the rebel alliance in danger. I wasn't going to have anyone's blood on my hands. I smirked to hide my pain. “Guess it’s good for me I don’t plan on returning home.”
Rebecca gave me a reassuring look. "Jacqueline will take you to the dining hall and then back to your room to rest."
“I have one more question,” I glanced at the members of the council.
Rebecca nodded. “Go ahead with it, dear.”
“Why did you help me escape?” It was an honest question, one that had nagged me since she handed over the skeleton key. I knew I was married to Joshua, but that was a weak excuse from what I’d already experienced. We’d only been married for a few hours, and according to Rebecca our marriage wasn’t legal anyway.
Rebecca sighed and clasped her hands together. “Do you realize how important you are, Olivia?” I didn’t answer her. I understood the significance of why the government wanted me, but not the rebel alliance. “Olivia,” she paused. “You can change the entire world in the blink of an eye. You’re the last woman in Cabal capable of conceiving, and likely the last woman on earth who will naturally have a child. The rebel alliance knows of your mother and your birth from eighteen years ago, but many towns consider it merely a myth. Seeing you would be,” she hesitated, feeling the weight of the words. “It would be more than just a miracle. It would bring about an uprising. It would change the world we live in and would offer hope to a generation completely unaware of the idea.”
“People don’t fight when they’re happy,” I reminded Rebecca. “Those in Genesis have it good. They have jobs, food, shelter, clothing. No one complains.”
“No one complains until they have to give up a child.” She stared at me through harsh eyes. “Don’t think it was easy for me to hand over Jacqueline.”
“I’m sorry, I hadn’t meant…” I stalled and shook my head, not intending to offend her or anyone else on the council. “I just think people have it mostly good back home. They won’t care if I can have kids without winning the lottery,” I paused thinking it over. “Or maybe they will care, grow jealous and agree with the government in killing me.”
Alexia raised an eye. “Are you mocking us?”
“No.” I quickly shook my head. “What if I don’t want children?” I knew I’d just thrown the obvious back in the face of those risking their lives to save me, but it should have been my decision, not theirs!
Rebecca spoke up once again. “We're confident you'll change your mind in time.”
Landon cut Rebecca off. "Olivia, your freedom comes at a cost. Bringing you here puts Haven at risk," he told me. "We're willing to take that risk if you're willing to accept your fate. You may stay in Haven, but please know in three years’ time we expect you to choose a husband, a partner, to have a child with."
"What about Joshua?" I asked, astounded by this turn of events. Why didn’t I see this coming? They didn't rescue me from prison and offer me a home without wanting something in return. I was naive for thinking otherwise.
Landon sighed. "We prefer you choose someone else. Someone not matched to you by the government. You see, Olivia, accepting your marriage and having a child with Joshua would only further solidify what they're fighting for. We disagree with the way they select one’s fate."
"But you can certainly decide mine," I muttered, appalled by the suggestion.
Landon stared at me, eyes narrowing. "We are letting you choose who you wish to marry," he reminded me. "If you can't make the decision then yes, we will pick a husband for you."
"I have three years to choose a mate?" I repeated, still dumbfounded by this revelation. Just like Genesis, they planned to use me. It must be why Rebecca had helped me escape. I didn't want this life. Haven wasn't looking any better than Genesis, the place I’d always called my home. Maybe I could stall for the next three years and figure something out?
Rebecca sighed. "In two weeks’ time, we'd like you to return. Then we’ll ask you some questions about your own history. At that time, we hope you’ll become more involved in our town and the rebel alliance. We'd also like to be kept up-to-date with whom you'd like to see yourself partnered with. In the next few weeks, we can set up potential candidates for you to go out with, and you can meet members of our community."
Their expectations didn't come lightly and without a huge cost. I didn't see too many options. "Two weeks from today." I nodded, accepting the rules – for now.
“This meeting is over.” Rebecca stood up and opened the doors, letting Jacqueline into the council room. “Please take Olivia to get something to eat and then escort her back to her room to study.”
“Yes, Mom.” Jacqueline nodded, leading me down to the street and across the road. The town that had just moments ago felt looming and filled with hope seemed much smaller in comparison. Rows of homes lined the street as we walked further into town. They weren't government-issue by any standard, each with a different paint scheme on the outside and attached side-by-side. I'd never seen anything like it in my life. It seemed a nice enough place to call home, if it hadn't been for the council demanding I marry and bear a child for them.
CHAPTER 7
Lying in bed, it took no time for my eyes to close and to find my way toward sleep. Escaping from prison in the middle of th
e night and then traveling for hours on foot had exhausted me. Besides, having a comfortable bed made it easier to rest. It seemed I'd slept for hours when I awoke and my eyes tried to adjust to the bedroom’s darkness.
I felt around, struggling to locate a light switch as I climbed out of bed, knocking into furniture with a groan. After a moment of relief I flipped the switch, basking the room in extreme brightness. I rubbed at my eyes and did my best to adjust to the light. I glanced around the bedroom, spotting the texts I received from Jacqueline after lunch. I was supposed to start reading them and learning the history of our country. All I wanted was more sleep.
Walking toward the shelf, my eyes landed on the titles of the books. They didn't seem so bad. Cabal History, World History, The Third and Fourth World Wars. I pulled the second largest text, Cabal History, from the shelf and flipped through the book. The book had very few images – it was mostly writing and looked to be quite long. I shouldn't have expected much more, because cameras hadn't been used for centuries.
I didn't feel like reading. I still couldn't believe they demanded I have a child in the next few years. At least I had time to stall and possibly change their minds. I wasn't ready to be a mother, and I wasn't sure I ever wanted to be one and certainly not in the middle of an uprising. It seemed a terrible reason to bring a child into this world.
I left the book open on the bed and walked across the hall, knocking on Joshua's door. "You in there?" I called, glancing from side to side, afraid I’d get caught. I couldn’t take the chance they’d force me to leave Haven or worse send me back to Genesis. I knew the Governor would love to get his hands on me.
I listened for a moment, hearing noise on the other side of the door. "Joshua?" I knocked again, hoping he would let me in. After what felt like an eternity, I heard footsteps and smiled when he opened the door, standing in front of me. "Good, you're home. I was wondering if you got lost in there–-" my voice trailed off as the smile faded. Just past Joshua was a girl, no older than me sitting on his bed. Her midnight black hair and eager smile sent my stomach into knots. “I guess I’m interrupting,” I remarked feeling her eyes on me. Had he moved on already? The thought made me sick that he went along with it. I didn't see another choice for me, but Rebecca was his mother. Why hadn't he fought her on it?